The development of locks for bicycles is nearly as old as the bicycle itself. U.S. Pat. No. 616,845 issued in 1898 shows a retractable locking mechanism which is pivotally secured to a frame of a bicycle and includes a flexible chain member movable to encircle the rim and tire of one wheel of the bicycle. When not in use, the lock mechanism is retracted by pivoting back between two frame members and out of use and out of the way.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,709 to Belke and U.S. Pat. No. 2,140,489 to Wise, show what are called "double acting locks", namely locks which obstruct the movement of a wheel and also provide a chain for securing the bike to a post. The older Wise patent puts an obstruction to the rotation of a wheel and also provides a chain to one side. The chain must be removed and separately stored when the bicycle is in use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,504,220 to Degen and 3,832,871 to Kaufman both show devices which employ "J" shaped members as a part or as a principal locking element in a bicycle or automobile lock. The recent U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,972 to Bleier et al shows a bicycle lock with a retractable cable and a windup mechanism for retracting the cable into a housing when not in use. The cable may be made to encircle a wheel and a post as shown in FIG. 1 of that patent.
Additional prior art with which I am acquainted but which is not anticipatory are U.S. Pat. Nos. 584,575, 584,017, 596,237, 583,638, 1,402,725, 2,574,967, 2,232,310, and 2,706,901; German Pat. Nos. 352,491, 362,606, and 880,789; and French Pat. No. 866,462.